


The Prince's Heart

by thecattydddy



Category: Marvel, Marvel (House of M), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - House of M, Arranged Marriage, Cheating, Implied Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 17:16:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8293645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecattydddy/pseuds/thecattydddy
Summary: Pietro has loved Kurt since they were boys, but in time boys must grow up and accept the responsibilities of men.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The last section is Pietro/Namor which lends into the _House Of M: Secret Wars_ series a bit. Everything else is Nightsilver, though, since that's the main focus of this story. Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated and enjoy.

– _**September**_ _ **1996 –**_

Pietro had never seen anyone like _him_ before.

Sure, he’d seen plenty of mutants with a plethora of physical differences due to the nature of their gift. He, himself, had unnaturally white hair over pale skin due to his own mutation and that was not even beginning to consider the fact he was the prince of the mutant capital of the world. This father viewed these people more beautiful than most of their mutant brethren and, thus, often made grandiose displays in regards to them. Mystique had been invited to dinner so many times that Pietro wondered if perhaps she would soon become a part of the royal family as well.

But even Mystique was not beautiful to Pietro the way that _he_ was.

“ _Erik_ ,” Charles greeted his long time friend, using a name for the mutant king that not even his own children dared uttered behind closed doors. The insistance upon mutant names were a symbol of their place beyond humanity and that stood for Magneto more than most.

“Professor,” Erik returned, a soft smile gracing his face. The kind of smile that was reserved for Charles, alone. “Thank you for coming.”

“I am always willing to make time for you, my old friend,” Charles returned, smoothly. They stared at one another a moment, emotions heavy in both gazes before Charles broke away to the man’s kin.

“My, how much your children have grown,” Charles smiled directly at Pietro, a charming sort of smile that left him feeling just a little warmer. For all that his father was, the speedster had always felt much more paternal affections from the man’s friend than the man, himself. The speedster gave the smallest upturn of his lip as a return, trying to hold desperately onto the princely persona he usually had to keep but still only being fifteen years old.

“They are becoming quite exceptional,” Erik agreed. “Lorna’s own abilities will manifest themselves soon and we will finally know what her x-gene holds.” The green-haired girl gave a tight-lipped smile, as if annoyed with her father for mentioning it but having no intention of saying so. “I see you’ve brought a charge of your own.”

“Yes,” Charles replied, a fondness taking to his tone as he turned back the way he’d come, finally looking at _him_. “My ward, Kurt Wagner... Nightcrawler. Say hello, Kurt.”

“Your majesty,” the boy greeting, bowing in Erik’s direction. The thick german accent sent a shiver through Pietro forceful enough for his twin to notice and give him a strange look.

“What a handsome young man,” Erik purred, summoning the boy closer with a finger in order to get a better look at him. “Wherever have you been hiding this one from me, my old friend?”

“Not hiding,” Charles assured him with a slight laugh, “Kurt has simply had other matters to attend to.”

“I’m sure,” Erik answered back, smoothly. His gaze fell a moment on his friend before turning back to Kurt. “Are there any other things your mutation gives you besides the unique color?” Kurt glanced over at Charles, who gave a slight nod in approval. Taking a step back, Kurt offered a slight grin before disappearing in a sudden gust of smoke.

A presence appeared at Pietro’s side, between him and his twin sister and he looked over at the speedster when the teen shifted to see who it was. The sudden close proximity brought a heat to Pietro’s face, but Kurt seemed oblivious to it, smiling innocently at Pietro in a way that could really only be described as adorable. Wanda smirked at him over Kurt’s shoulder, suddenly understanding what was happening all too well.

“Remarkable!” Erik cheered in approval and suddenly Kurt was gone, appearing in front of Erik, once again. Wanda took this opportunity to scoot closer to her brother, eyebrows raised at him, expectantly. A conversation ensued between them with looks alone.

_You like him._

_Nightcrawler? He seems alright…_

_No, you_ _**like** _ _him._

_That’s ridiculous. I haven’t even officially met him, yet._

_You want to have his little blue babies._

_Sister!_

“Children,” Erik called, forcing the conversation to end before Wanda could say anything else to embarrass him. “The Professor and his ward will be staying for dinner. Pietro, run and tell the staff to set the table for two more.”

“Yessir!” Pietro replied, already speeding out of the room to avoid any further exchanges with Wanda.

“Wanda.”

“Yes, father?”

“Why don’t you show Nightcrawler around the castle?” Erik suggested, his attention already focused entirely on Charles and not likely to leave the telepath, soon.

Wanda smiled slightly. “Of course. I would be happy to.” Erik and Charles wandered off shortly after that and Lorna was quick to head in a direction of her own, not long after. The innocent and kind girl that had been standing there disappeared, suddenly, replaced instead by what Kurt could only imagine was a shark.

“Nightcrawler,” Wanda drawled, hooking her arm through his and tugging him along. He swallowed when she batted her eyelashes at him. “I must know if you’re seeing anyone right now.”

“N-no,” Kurt muttered, softly, “But I am not particularly interested in--”

“Do you think Pietro is cute?” She asked, speaking over him. Kurt’s brow furrowed, confused. “We’re very similar in appearance, you know – Being twins and all. He’s got very nice legs from all the running, though. Don’t you think?”

I-I suppose,” Kurt squeaked, completely embarrassed at this point.

Wanda gave him a smile, but it was the smile of a shark about to eat its prey. “Perhaps we should go find him. He knows this castle much more _intimately_ than I do, I’m afraid. He will be much more helpful in your tour.” Kurt didn’t know how to respond to this so he just gave a short nod.

* * *

 

– _**April**_ _ **1999**_ _ **–**_

Kurt waved to the Professor from the window as he left, certain that his nerves were clear enough to see, but if they were, Charles didn’t make any indication. He gave a soft smile and a wave back before stepping into his car and driving away. Once the car had disappeared beyond the tree-line, Kurt felt a gush of wind pull at his frame, threatening enough to throw a smaller man off his feet. Kurt turned to gaze over his shoulder, a small smile gracing his features at the man standing in the center of the room, eyes dancing around it in interest.

“ _Pietro_.” The way that Kurt said his name, heavy with a german accent that still remained in tact after so many years, always had the prince melting. In an instant, Pietro was in his space, arms draped over Kurt’s shoulders and looking softer than he ever appeared in any tabloid. One of Kurt’s hands rested gently on his hip, the other lifting up to caress the princes’ face. No matter how often Pietro insisted he wasn’t _fragile_ , Kurt always would smile and answer with the same line that would make him just that much more smitten.

_No, your highness. Not fragile..._ _P_ _recious. Even durable treasures should be handled with care._

“You are certain the Professor will not be returning this weekend?” Pietro inquired, his fingers playing with the hairs on the back of Kurt’s neck.

“I am certain,” Kurt assured him. His tail came up behind the speedster and slipped under his shirt, skirting over the skin softly and encouraging Pietro to lean more into the man in front of him to escape the feeling. “He spends far more time at his university than he does here.”

“His loss,” Pietro cooed, his lip even twitching upward in a rare smile that was meant for Kurt alone. Pleased, Kurt brought their mouths together, placing just enough pressure against the speedster to warrant a needy whine when Kurt pulled away. “You’re teasing.”

“I’m doing no such thing,” Kurt returned, innocently enough. There was a small twinkle in his eye that suggested otherwise, though.

“Kiss me properly,” Pietro huffed, tugging at Kurt’s lapels, impatiently.

“Yes, your highness,” Kurt chuckled, taking Pietro by the back of the neck and pulling him in for a deeper kiss this time. His tongue peeked out to brush against Pietro’s bottom lip and the speedster obediently opened up. The tail wrapped around Pietro’s thigh tugging lightly to indicate that he should hike it up properly. Kurt turned him to be pressed more properly against the wall when Pietro complied, one hand wrapped around his thigh. He moaned softly when the other brushed a blue thumb over pale skin, dipping just past his waistline.

They were so entranced with one another they didn’t even notice someone else approaching until the door was half open. “Kurt, I was running some tests and--”

“ _Hank!_ ” Kurt squeaked, his face heating up at the sudden intrusion. The moment that they had heard the voice, Pietro had made himself scarce, leaving only a slight gust of wind and the feeling of his lips lingering on Kurt’s.

Hank looked up from his clipboard, taking in the sight of Kurt’s ruffled appearance, confused. “Do you have someone here?”

“ _No!_ ” Kurt objected, hastily enough to let anyone know he’d been lying.

Hank raised an eyebrow, but considering there was no one in sight he let it be. “I see… I need you to come with me to the lab.”

“ _Ja_. Of course. Of course. I am coming...” Kurt smoothed out his shirt before following after Hank, sparing a quick glance back right before he left, a hint of apology and longing on his face before he closed his door behind him.

From the closet that he’d taken refuge in, Pietro saw the departure and gave a soft laugh, muffling it further with his hand over his mouth. _Only Kurt…_

* * *

 

– _**November**_ _ **2002**_ _ **–**_

“Kurt,” Pietro whispered, his head resting in the other male’s chest. His fingers drew lazy circles in the blue skin. “We… We can’t keep doing this.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the speedster regretted them. Kurt was startled out of his blissful resting, sitting up and forcing Pietro to lift his head slightly with the action. The hurt reflected in the other’s eyes were enough to make him feel sick to the stomach. “Why? Is it something I have done?”

“No, no!” Pietro insisted, sitting up quickly, his hands raised in reassurance.

“Do you… Do you no longer find yourself attracted to...” Kurt’s voice was even softer than usual, his insecurities of long ago bubbling to the surface.

“You’re _beautiful_ ,” Pietro quickly insisted, taking Kurt’s face in his, trying to toss such thoughts from the other’s mind with the intensity of his look.

“Then why--?”

“I’ve been promised,” Pietro answered before he could come up with yet another random excuse. He took a moment to breath, watching as Kurt’s expression went from hurt to confused to just sad. “My father is to have me marry Namor to ensure positive relations with Atlantis. For some reason he has taken a liking to me.”

“It is not that I can blame him,” Kurt replied, a small smile gracing his features, but sadness ate it before it could properly manifest. “Do you want to marry Namor?”

“No,” Pietro murmured. “He is alright and I’ve heard that he is quite a lover, but...”

“But?”

Pietro glanced at the blue-skinned mutant, hoping his intense stare sent the message it was supposed to. “But I am not _in love_ with him.”

Kurt drew in a sharp breath, understanding the speedster’s words for what they were. “Have you tried talking to your father. Perhaps if you tell him this we will--”

“I’ve tried,” Pietro said, his tone laced with a bitterness it often seemed to taken when speaking of his father in private. Kurt was perhaps one of the only ones entrusted with the prince’s years of built up resentment towards his father. He often encouraged Pietro to forgive the man, if only to spare himself the hardship of the weight it carried, but Kurt could not help when Erik continued to give Pietro things that needed to be forgiven, this probably most of all. “He insists that it is my _responsibility_ to ensure the House Of M prospers and that _love_ is irrelevant in such a decision.”

“Oh, Pietro,” Kurt pulled the prince close, head resting on his chest. Fingers gently carded through Pietro’s hair and he could feel his anger dissolve into a well hidden ache of loss. Kurt only held him tighter when his eyes began to get misty.

“I love you,” Pietro said, his voice strained with emotion. “I don’t love _him_ , I love _you--_ ”

Kurt buried his face in Pietro’s soft, white hair and let the man cry into his shoulder, crumbling in a way he never could elsewhere. The young prince was forced to stand strong and tough in front of nearly everyone, hiding just how broken he often was beneath the surface. Kurt had been the one person – bar for perhaps the man’s twin sister, but even then – that Pietro could show this softer side of himself and who would still be accepted afterwards.

And now he would lose even that.

“ _Sssh_. _Sssh_. It is alright, _liebling._ ” Kurt offered what soft reassurances he could, memorizing the way Pietro felt in his arms in case he would never have this, ever again. “I understand… _Ich lieb dich…_ I love you, too.” The gentle spoke confession should have made him happier, should have banished such woes from the speedster. Having one’s affections returned like this was a rare and beautiful gift and it should have brought with it joy.

Instead, Pietro’s sobs just grew in intensity, his loss thick in the air as he failed to form coherent apologies and Kurt just held him still.

* * *

 

– _**November**_ _ **20**_ _ **08**_ _ **–**_

The acceptance of Kurt into the Red Guard had been an incredible honor. He’d been presented with the position by none other than Magneto, himself, and the resulting celebration had been a festivity fit for a king. The other members of the group had been kind enough to him. Shaw shook his hand and offered his sincere congratulations. Logan called him a punk-ass kid and then insisted upon sharing a drink with him. Raven had taken him aside at some point to express her pride, genuine enough that one might have thought she was his mother. It’d been an exciting affair, but Kurt had to admit his disappointment in not even seeing the prince, once.

For a brief moment, Kurt had mistaken Wanda’s son, Thomas, for the man, but that had been killed the moment he spotted the boy’s head ducked together with his twin, their eyes dancing towards the door. Seeing as he was now officially part of the Red Guard, Kurt wondered if perhaps he should cut their antics short, but they were kids and he himself had been young, once, so he left them be.

Perhaps, he decided, it was for the best that he had not happened upon the speedster. Once he would have given anything to be part of the man’s life one second more, but he knew that such an encounter would be uncomfortable for them both and he was happy to accept that the man had since moved on.

“ _Kurt_.” The voice came while Kurt was half-way through taking off his shirt, accompanied by a gust of wind. Even after all this time, he didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“Pietro,” Kurt greeted him, his lip twitching upward despite himself. He glanced over his shoulder to look at the speedster.

“I heard the good news,” Pietro stated, joy and pride and disappointment and hurt swirling through his eyes in a whirlwind of indistinguishable _emotion_. “The Red Guard. It’s quite an honor.”

“Yes. It is,” Kurt agreed. “Have you come to give your congratulations?”

“I am.” Pietro was suddenly in front of him, his eyes blinking over at the blue-skinned mutant. “I apologize for not making the celebration. My husband had need of me in Atlantis.”

And like that, the moment they were having shattered, cold reality washing over them. Kurt turned away, tossing his shirt off in some careless direction as he continued to get ready for bed. “You should not be here, Pietro.”

“I’m sorry,” Pietro insisted, racing over and taking Kurt’s arm. “I shouldn’t have mentioned him. I’m sorry, Kurt, _please_.”

“No, don’t be sorry about--” Kurt began, only to sigh. “You have every right to mention your husband. For a moment there, I just...”

“You just?” Pietro prompted, a hopeful hint to his tone. The hand on Kurt’s arm softened, practically cradling the muscles there like Pietro once had done, years ago. His skin burned where the speedster touched him, a mix of shame and desire caught just beneath the blue.

“Your highness, _please_ ,” Kurt begged, his voice heavy. “Don’t do this.”

“I came to congratulate you, Kurt,” Pietro whispered, turning the other to look at him. Kurt, despite himself, couldn’t put up much of a fight. “Let me _show you_ how proud I am.”

“You’re a married man!” Kurt hissed, disapproval ringing through his words.

“To someone I never loved… Not even in the beginning,” Pietro snapped. The venom faded after a second, the softness coming back to him with a fluidity that was befitting a prince. “If I mean anything to you still, Kurt… If I’ve ever meant anything to you… Let me give you this?”

Kurt didn’t say anything, just staring at Pietro. Slowly, slower than Kurt thought the prince could even move at all, he brought their lips together, kissing him gently, but with plenty of emotion dancing off his tongue like small electrical shocks. He couldn’t resist bringing his hand to rest on the speedster’s hip and when he gave that soft, vibrating moan, Kurt knew he was gone. There was no resisting Pietro.

There never was.

They fell into the throws of the bed, caught in a whirl of lost time and broken hearts that carried them faster through the meeting than either would have normally gone and even Pietro had to admit that he was disappointed when they lay beneath Kurt’s blankets, wrapped around one another and fighting the pull of sleep.

“We must never do this, again,” Kurt insisted, angry with himself for the immense lack of regret he felt.

“I know,” Pietro whispered, no fight or tears in the admission as there had been when they were forced to part years before. His palm ran over the expanse of Kurt’s chest, feeling the steady breaths he took and filing each one away for another lonely night. Pietro took a shaky breath. “I am still sorry I left you for him all those years ago.”

“I have never blamed you, _liebling_ ,” Kurt assured him, fingers running slowly up and down Pietro’s side, his touches feathery light. “Your father is a strong man with a strong will. Besides, I would not be the man you loved if I could ask you to chose me over your duty.”

Pietro gave a soft chuckle, “No, you would not.”

Kurt placed a kiss against his collarbone, bubbling a warmth beneath the speedster’s skin. “What can I do for you now, your highness?”

“Say my name,” Pietro requested, relishing in the attention Kurt placed over him.

“ _Pietro._ ” Kurt let his accent weave through the words the way Pietro liked it. He crawled over to hover above the prince, noses just about touching.

“Again.”

“ _Pietro._ ” More kisses were placed against the speedster’s neck, peppering the pale space with small tokens of his endless affections.

“Again.”

“ _Pietro._ ” Kurt could feel the slight shiver it sent through his frame, the way it had even back when they’d been boys. “ _Ich lieb dich._ ”

“I love you, too,” Pietro whispered into Kurt’s ear, the warm breath slightly ticklish. “Always. Forever…” Kurt let his tail brush away some of the hair that’d fallen in the prince’s face.

“ _Always_ ,” Kurt repeated, a lingering promise. “ _Forever_...”

* * *

 

– _**July**_ _ **20**_ _ **15**_ _ **–**_

“You always are so bitter towards your father, Love,” Namor noted, coming up behind the speedster and rubbing away the tension there with practiced hands. “Yet you never tell me why.”

Pietro glanced over his shoulder, his eyes telling a story just beyond his husband’s reach. “I need not explain it to you, Namor. You know how he can be as well as I.”

“This is true,” Namor hummed, his face lowering to reside beside the Prince’s. “But I worry what is to become of a young beauty wrapped in so much hatred.”

“It is not a kind of bitterness that just _goes away_ ,” Pietro returned, huffily. There were those, perhaps, who had once been able to sooth it, but these memories now only fueled the flame burning through the image of his father that resides in his heart. They gave a brighter glow to the resentment that caught inside him.

“Perhaps,” Namor cooed, his fingers working away and Pietro couldn’t help it if he gave a soft moan in response. If he hadn’t already loved another, the speedster knew the fish king would have made a fine husband indeed. “But perhaps you just have yet to find the right way to deal with it.”

“How would you suggest I go about doing so?” Pietro wondered, his interest peaked, at least. Namor’s toothy grin left a feeling of hesitancy in the prince.

“You feel your father does not understand the suffering you’ve endured. The grief you’ve experienced. _The love you’ve lost._ ” Pietro’s person froze, his worries coursing through his body even with the impassiveness of his face.

“You are my only love,” Pietro insisted, making Namor give a deep laugh.

“If only that were true, my little prince,” the fish king stated, a his fingers caressing the side of Pietro’s face and making him turn to look at him. “Perhaps you see me as an _adequate_ husband, but I am hardly _your love_. I have come to accept that, for now. It will be dealt with in time.”

“Namor...” Pietro’s grew even more withdrawn.

“Do not misunderstand, Pietro. I am not angry.” Namor made quick work of reassuring the speedster. “In your shoes, I would have likely done the same thing. I do not come to accuse, I come to offer a gift. Something to make up for your father’s past transgressions.”

“And what is that?” Pietro questioned.

“We must hit him where he will suffer the most,” Namor explained, careful to keep his tone from sounding patronizing. “He values his power and his position over even his own children.”

“Are you...” Pietro leaned away from the fish king, shocked. “Are you suggesting I _overthrow my father_?”

“I am,” Namor responded, cooly. “But I only offer this opportunity to _you_ because you are my beloved husband and because I know you would benefit greatly from this arrangement. With or without you, I intend to take him down. He is an ill-fit king.”

“How so,” Pietro demanded, hesitant but willing to listen, at least.

“You’ve seen how he treats the humans, even despite the outcry of his people,” Namor pointed out, returning his hands to Pietro’s shoulders. “I have it on good faith that he even might have room in that cold metallic heart of his for his grandsons, and yet even their pleas with him fall on deaf ears.”

Pietro’s thoughts momentarily went to his nephews, knowing that Namor’s words were true. Once upon a time, he might have been bitter that his father had more love for those boys than had ever been spared for him, but it was hard to hate the witch or the speedster much and doing so would only have hurt his sister more than anyone else. “I had no idea you cared so much about the humans, Namor.”

“Generally, I do not, but even I worry about them rising up in defiance to his ancient grudge,” the fish king explained. “And then there is the fact that he is _not_ a king meant for peace.”

“He seems to be doing alright, bar for the humans.”

“ _Alright_ , perhaps, but not well,” Namor pointed out. “Your father was built of stronger things, but it makes him incapable of being soft. You, Pietro, are a beautiful balance of both. You would make an equally beautiful king.”

“You intend to make me king?” Pietro wondered, the idea flitting around his mind, testing the title against his own name. _King Pietro The First_.

“Of course,” Namor answered. “Would it not be fitting to have the begrudged son sit upon his fallen father’s throne? Far more poetic than his once enemy, I am sure. The people will trust you and, in time, you can make them trust _me_.”

Pietro considered the offer, one that did seem very tempting. And, as if feeling his close submission, Namor dangled one last worm before the prince. “I would like to know where your loyalties lie, Pietro, but perhaps if you were to prove they reside with me, I would be open to letting you find _love_ somewhere else. In private, of course.”

The suggestion of his offer left a spark of hope in Pietro’s chest. Namor came around to his front, hovering over the prince’s chair, their faces suddenly very close. The fish king whispered to him. “Prove your loyalties to me, my little prince.”

When Namor’s lips fell against his own, Pietro returned it with an eagerness that the younger man hadn’t bothered with since the early days of their marriage. The fish king wasn’t naive enough to hope the boy’s thoughts were on him, but that was of little consequences. He would have the speedster completely beneath his thumb in time enough.

But first. “Let us go to bed. You may make your decision in the morning.”

“Alright,” Pietro agreed, allowing Namor to pull him to his feet and guide him to their bedroom. The king was gentle as he pulled him along, even more so than usual, and Pietro frowned in annoyance.

“I am not fragile, Namor.”

“I would never suggest such a thing is true.” Namor replied in that velvety way that always made Pieto wonder what he really thought. “But even a the strongest of men can appreciate a soft touch, no?”

Pietro thought briefly to Kurt. Of his words so many years ago. “I am not mere man, Namor. I am a _treasure_.”

Namor gave a toothy smirk, appeasement heavy in his tone. “Of course, dear.”

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I've never written Namor before this and I'm not sure he came out super great, but hopefully it's enough to stomach this self-indulgent mess. Thanks again for the read!


End file.
